Pneumatically driven hoop tightening and clamping device



1967 J. ROSENBERGER ETAL 3,334,695

PNEUMATICALLY DRIVEN HOOP TIGHTENING AND CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 31, 1964. 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS 11k b We, Ember? Ev: BY Xm/m Kumu;

Aug. 8, 1967 J. ROSENBERGER ETAL 3,334,695

PNEUMATICALLY DRIVEN HOOP TIGHTENING AND CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 31, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

INVENTORS J fb 1'2 Fuse/0 b as ER BY K r11 5 Mom #1 will flU M v Aug. 8, 1967 J. ROSENBERGER ETAL 3,334,695

PNEUMATICALLY DRIVEN HOOP TI(ErXiTEXNLT.NG AND CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Aug. 31, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS Kob Fos Nfig/e lt BY Xnve/e lfuow United States Patent 3,334,695 PNEUMATICALLY DRIVEN HOOP TIGHTENING AND CLAMPING DEVICE Jakob Rosenberger and Xaver Kuoni, Zurich, Switzerland, assignors to Barbe-Wanner AG, Zurich, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Aug. 31, 1964, Ser. No. 393,330 Claims priority, a plication Germany, Sept. 4, 1963, R 54,541 Claims. (Cl. 173-169) The present invention relates to an improved pneumatically driven tightening and closure or clamping device incorporating a handle or hand grip, and, more specifically, to a tightening and clamping device for flexible hoops for use, for instance, in hooping parcels, cases and the like.

With such type devices it is known to arrange the hose for the infeed of compressed air at the rear end of the handle approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hand grip. However, it has been found that during operation of such device an air hose which projects in this manner for its operation is very disturbing and impractical as well as making the work more difficult.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved device of the aforedescribed type which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Another important object of the present inention is the provision of an improved hoop tightening and clamping device which is easy to handle, economical to manufacture, robust in construction and highly efficient in operation.

Generally speaking, the present invention is characterized by the features that, the connecting members for the delivery of air are arranged in front of the middle of the handle remote from its rear or free end, extend transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle, and at least one air channel is provided in which the air supply flows in the motor from the front towards the rear.

In this manner, the manipulation and operation of such pneumatically driven hoop tightening and clamping device is rendered considerably easier in that, due to the infeed of compressed air with the aid of an air hose hanging down or depending from above, the device is easier to handle. Consequently, it is possible to prevent the formation of loops in the hose and thereby the hose kinks and damages which can be oftentimes ascertained thereat, namely at the region of the attachment or fastening location to the device.

Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description and drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of hoop tightening and clamping device designed according to the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the device of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the handle of the device of FIGURE 1, depicting details of the therein mounted motor and gear unit;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view through the handle of the device of FIGURE 1 displaced 90 with respect to FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines VV of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view through the handle taken along lines VI-VI of FIGURE 3.

Describing now the drawings, the embodiment of inventive hoop tightening and clamping device depicted therein comprises a hollow hand grip or handle 1 internally of which there is located a compressed air or pneumatic motor 2 and a speed-reducer drive or reduction Patented Aug. 8, 1967 gear unit 80, both of which will be more fully described hereinafter. The handle 1 is rigidly connected at its forward end with a housing 3 containing, on the one hand, the drive members or elements for a driving roller 14 of the hoop band 15 and, on the other hand, the members for the actuation of the clamping or closure mechanism 5. This clamping or closure mechanism 5 which cooperates with a closure sleeve 16 placed about the ends of the band 15 is of known construction, and since details thereof are not important for the understanding of the invention such will not be further herein described. The actuation of the closure mechanism 5 takes place by means of compressed air through the agency of a non-illustrated piston located internally of the cylinder 6. Due to displacement of such piston it is possible by means of the clamping mechanism 5 to deform the closure or clamping sleeve 16 placed over the ends of the band 15, so that thereafter this band 15 is held in its position.

A connecting stud or nipple 7 for an air hose 2 is arranged at the housing 3 neighboring the handle 1, that is, at the forward portion of such housing 3. This connecting nipple or stud 7 serves for .the infeed of compressed air. The axis of this connecting nipple 7 extends transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the handle 1 and projects upwards. With the aid of a pivotable lever 9 it is possible to raise the driving roller 14 in order to introduce the closure band 15. The pneumatic motor 2 serves to drive such driving roller 14 and thereby to tension or tighten the band 15. Both of the push buttons 10 and 11 providing valve actuating means serve for the selective infeed of compressed air either to the cylinder 6 for displacing the piston and thereby actuating the closure mechanism 5 or to the drive motor 2 for the driving roller 14 respectively. These push-button type valve actuating members 10 and 11 are disposed at the power take-off side of the motor, so that initially the compressed air flows from the front to the rear in the handle 1. The hereinafter to be considered channel network disposed internally of the handle 1 is constructed such that a countercurrent of air appears inside of this handle.

In order to suspend the entire apparatus or device there is provided at the upper face of the cylinder 6 aneyelet or hook 13, so that the device can either be moved up and down by a spring a flexible cable, whereby such cable is preferably provided with a suitable balance weight. In this manner, the device can be conveniently brought to the required location, without the air delivery conduit means being in the way, since the hose 8 extends from above into the device.

In FIGURES 3 to 6 there is shown an embodiment of pneumatic motor 2 with speed reduction drive and wherein the air infeed can be more clearly seen. Now, when the push button 10 is pushed-down, as best seen by referring to FIGURE 5, a ball valve 58 is displaced from its valve seat 58a against the force of a spring 60 and a path for the compressed air into the inside of the cylinder 6 is freed. Upon actuating the push button 11 a ball valve 54 is displaced from its valve seat 54a against the force of the spring 56, whereby the conduit for the compressed air is freed such that this air arrives in a channel 36 of the housing 30 via the channel 32 (FIG- URE 3), this channel 36 being located in a projecting rib 35 of the aforesaid housing 30. From this location the compressed air flows into an opening 38 and from there into the lengthwise bore or channel means 40, These lengthwise bore meansor longitudinal slots 40 form the actual inlet channels for the compressed air motor 2.

The compressed air or pneumatic motor 2 exhibits a rotor 16 in which are located a plurality of radial sliding vanes 42 displaceably guided in suitable slots of said rotor 16, as is well known to the art. Moreover, rotor 16 is eccentrically mounted with respect to a sleeve 43.

The lengthwise bore means 40 are located in the region of that location where the rotor jacket lies closest to the sleeve 43, so that the compressed 'air can expand during rotation of rotor 16. Opposite the lengthwise bore means 40, approximately displaced through 180, there is provided an outlet slot 44 which merges or opens into lateral openings 50 (FIGURE 6) formed between the housing 1 and the insert member 45. On the other hand, a portion of the air also flows through a ring-shaped or annular channel 46 and leave-s the rear frontal face of the device via an apertured or perforated plate 48. The other portion of the air arrives from the channel 50 in the gear unit 80 and in its intermediate compartment 81 and is guided by means of the bore 52 into the housing 3, where it flowsolf in the direction of the arrow B of FIGURE 2 through a non-visible opening. As a result, the compressed air flows through the housing 1, starting from the inlet connection in the form of the stud or nipple 7, initially from the front towards the rear, that is in FIGURES 3 and 4 from the left to the right. After leaving the pneumatic motor 2 the outflowing air branches-off in that, a portion is removed at the rear, i.e., right free end of the handle 1 and another portion is guided through the interior of the housing 30 in the opposite direction, in other Words from the right towards the left, as such is conveniently indicated by the arrows of FIGURE 1.

It will further be seen that the rotor 16 is supported by ball bearings 37 and 39 and is provided with a pinion 18 at its forward or power-take off end meshing with planet pinions 20, each of which are seated upon a bolt 22. These planet pinions 20 are constructed as twin wheels, whereby one portion meshes with an internally toothed sleeve 41 and the other portion with an internally toothed or geared hollow wheel 24. The internally geared hollow wheel 24 is rotatably supported in the housing 30, internally thereof carrying a drive shaft 26 which is rotatably connected via a non-illustrated worm drive with the driving roller 14, which steps-down the rotational speed of the quick running rotor 16 in a ratio of about 50:1.

In the pressure conduit 8 there is advantageously connected an oil atomizer of known construction, so that the compressed air entrains a small quantity of oil spray which, then, serves to lubricate the" pneumatic motor 2 and the gear unit 80.

It would also be conceivable to dispense with the escape of air at the perforated plate 48 and to conduct the entire quantity of air, after it has departed from the pneumatic motor 2, in the direction towards the housing 3. Moreover, in place of a compressed air actuated closure mechanism 5, it is also possible to use a hand-actuated mechanism, as for instance described in United States Patent 2,813,441.

While there is shown and described a present preferred embodiment of the invention it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practised within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Pneumatically driven hoop tightening and clamping device comprising a housing, a hollow handle provided for said housing, said hollow handle having a forward end and a rear end, said forward end being connected with said housing, connecting means for air supply line means mounted forwardly of the center of the handle in the region of the forward end of said handle, said connecting means extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said handle, a motor mounted within said hollow handle, air supply line means connected with said connecting means, valve means cooperating with said air supply line means for controlling the supply of air to said motor, said valve means being disposed at the power takeeoff side of said motor, and at least one air channel provided for said hollow handle disposed such that the supply of air flows from the front towards the rear of said motor,

2. Pneumatically driven hoop tightening and clamping device comprising a housing, a hollow handle, said hollow handle having a forward end and a rear end, said forward end being connected with said housing, connecting means mounted forwardly of the center of the handle in the direction of said housing, said connecting means extending transversely and upwardly with respect to the longitudinal axis of said handle, air supply line means operably coupled with said connecting means, a motor mounted within said hollow handle, valve means cooperating with said air supply line means for controlling the supply of air to said motor, said valve means being located at said forward end of said handle, said motor having a front portion directed towards said housing, and at least one air channel provided for said hollow handle disposed such that the air supply flows from the front towards the rear of said motor.

3. Pneumatically driven hoop tightening and clamping device comprising a housing, a handle for holding the device having a respective forward and a rear end provided for said housing, connecting means for air supply line means, said connecting means being arranged at the region of the forward end of said handle closest to said housing, said connecting means extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said handle and depending substantially upwardly therefrom, a motor located in said handle, air supply line means connected with said connecting means, valve means cooperating with said air supply line means for controlling the supply of air to said motor, said valve means being disposed at the power take-off side of said motor, at least one air channel disposed such that the supply of air flows from the front towards the rear of said motor, channel means disposed internally of said housing and arranged such that the air exhausted from said motor at least partially flows within said handle in countercurrent to the supply of air to the motor, said channel means incorporating means for sub-dividing the air exhausted from the motor such that a branch stream thereof escapes from the rear end of said handle remote from the housing, whereas the remainder of said air moves in counter-current through said channel means with respect to the supply of air to the motor.

4. Pneumatically driven hoop tightening and clamping device comprising a housing, a hollow handle for holding the device provided for said housing, said hollow handle having a forward end and an open rear end, said forward end being connected with said housing, connecting means for air supply line means mounted forwardly of the center of the handle in the region of the forward end of said handle, said connecting means ex tending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said handle, a motor mounted within said hollow handle, at least one air channel provided for said hollow handle disposed such that the supply of air flows from the front towards the rear of said motor, channel means disposed internally of said housing and arranged such that the air exhausted from said motor at least partially flows within said handle in counter-current to the supply of air to the motor, said channel means incorporating means for sub-dividing the air exhausted from the motor such that a branch stream thereof escapes from the open rear end of said handle remote from the housing, where: as the remainder of said air moves in counter-current to the supply of air to the motor through said channel means.

5. Pneumatically driven hoop tightening and clamping device comprising a housing, a hollow handle for holding the device having a respective forward and an open rear end provided for said housing, connecting means for air supply line means, said connecting means being arranged at the region of the forward end of said hollow handle closest to said housing, said connecting means extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of said hollow handle and depending substantially upwardly therefrom, a motor located in said hollow handle,

said motor rotating about an axis which is substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said hollow handle, speed reduction means for said motor also located in said hollow handle, air supply line means connected with said connecting means, valve means cooperating with said air supply line means for controlling the supply of air to said motor, said valve means being disposed at the power take-01f side of said motor closest to said forward end of said housing, at least one air channel disposed such that the supply of air flows from the front towards the rear of said motor, channel means disposed internally of said housing and arranged such that the air exhausted from said motor at least partially flows within said handle in counter-current to the supply of air to the motor, said channel means incorporating means 15 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,744,802 1/1930 Rock 173-169 2,538,969 1/1951 Kessler et a1. 0 173169 2,875,730 3/1959 Carpenter et a1, 173-170 3,198,218 8/1965 Ericsson et a1. 140--93.4 3,211,186 10/1965 Bushman 14093.4

FRED C. MATTERN, JR., Primary Examiner.

L. P. KESSLER, Assistant Examiner. 

1. PNEUMATICALLY DRIVEN HOOP TIGHTENING AND CLAMPING DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING, A HOLLOW HANDLE PROVIDED FOR SAID HOUSING, SAID HOLLOW HANDLE HAVING A FORWARD END AND A REAR END, SAID FORWARD END BEING CONNECTED WITH SAID HOUSING, CONNECTING MEANS FOR AIR SUPPLY LINE MEANS MOUNTED FORWARDLY OF THE CENTER OF THE HANDLE IN THE REGION OF THE FORWARD END OF SAID HANDLE, SAID CONNECTING MEANS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID HANDLE, A MOTOR MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HOLLOW HANDLE, AIR SUPPLY LINE MEANS CONNECTED WITH SAID CONNECTING MEANS, VALVE MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID AIR SUPPLY LINE MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OF AIR TO SAID MOTOR, SAID VALVE MEANS BEING DISPOSED AT THE POWER 